DE-FLY™SMART INSECTICIDE APPLICATOR FOR LIVESTOCK

How De-Fly works

De-Fly controller 12 V, WiFi settings 12 V batterywith solar maintainer Photo eye 1entry side, with reflector Photo eye 2exit side, with reflector 12 V pumpcustomer's spot sprayer Three nozzlesbelly, side, top Phone, over WiFi

Power, pump and photo eyes wire to the controller's screw terminals with 16 gauge wire. The pump is switched through the controller's 10 amp relay with an inline fuse on the battery lead.

Operating sequence

  1. An animal breaks a photo eye beam at either end of the opening.
  2. The controller waits a short start delay so the animal is under the nozzles.
  3. The pump runs while the beam is blocked, then continues for a set time after the animal clears the beam to cover the hindquarters.
  4. Spray is limited to a maximum time per animal, so an animal standing in the opening does not drain the tank.
  5. The controller re-arms only after the opening has been clear for the re-arm time. Cattle in single file each receive their own dose, and an animal is not sprayed again at the exit eye.
Adjustable from a phone: start delay (0.5 s), spray after clear (1 s), maximum spray time (2.5 s), re-arm time (2 s) and trigger delay (150 ms). Factory settings shown. The control page also has a test spray button, an enable switch, a beam indicator and a head counter.

Recommended layout

Three nozzles on one side of the opening: a low nozzle aimed 45 degrees up at the belly, a mid-height nozzle aimed straight across the side, and a high nozzle aimed 45 degrees down across the back. Each animal has one side treated on the way in and the other side on the way out, so it is fully covered over a normal day without being double dosed on every pass.

Starting heights for mature beef cattle are 16 to 20 in, 30 to 36 in and 60 to 66 in, adjusted after watching the first animals through. The two photo eyes mount on the nozzle side at 24 to 30 in, one just outside each end of the nozzle run, with reflectors directly across the opening.

FrameMounts for one opening
Horizontal pipe rails3 Pipe Clamp Straight, 2 Pipe Clamp Sensor
Vertical pipe posts1 Pipe Clamp Straight, 2 Pipe Clamp Side45, 2 Pipe Clamp Sensor
Square tube panels3 Square Tube Straight, 2 Square Tube Sensor
T-posts1 T-Post Straight, 2 T-Post Side45, 2 T-Post Sensor
Wood posts1 Strap Straight, 2 Strap Post45, 2 Strap Sensor

Specifications

Power12 volt DC. About 1.5 amp hours per day standby plus pump run time. Recommended: 18 amp hour or larger battery with a 10 to 20 watt solar maintainer.
Pump outputRelay contact rated 10 amps at 12 volts. Suits the 12 volt diaphragm pumps used in spot sprayers. Inline fuse sized to the pump, typically 7.5 amps for a 1 GPM pump.
DetectionTwo 12 volt retroreflective photo eyes with reflectors, mounted up to about 6 feet apart at cattle chest height. Both eyes act as one detector.
ControlsBuilt-in WiFi access point. Any phone, tablet or laptop browser. No internet, cell service, account or app. Settings are stored in the controller.
UpdatesFirmware updates are loaded from a phone over the same WiFi connection.
EnclosureWeather-resistant enclosure with labeled screw terminals. Mount out of direct spray and out of reach of cattle.
ChemicalWater-based and oil-based livestock sprays labeled for beef cattle, applied according to the product label.

What the customer supplies

ItemNotes
25 gallon 12 volt spot sprayerCovers the tank, pump and hose in one purchase. The 15 gallon version suits smaller herds.
Nozzle bodies, caps, tips and hose fittingsThree 3/8 in hose barb bodies (one with a check valve), three caps, three tips, tees and clamps. Part numbers are in the buy list.
12 volt battery and solar maintainer18 amp hour or larger battery; 10 watt or larger maintainer with charge controller.
Fuse holder, 16 gauge wire, clamp hardwareAutomotive and hardware aisles.
Nozzle and sensor mountsFrom the De-Fly mount range, matched to your gates and posts.

Buy the kit, $399Read the owner's manual